


Holding Tails

by calibratingentropy



Series: Tail Tales [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Biology, Alien Culture, Alien Gender/Sexuality, Alternate Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Galra Hunk (Voltron), Hunk (Voltron)-centric, Hunk Has Three Parents, Hunk and Keith Are Sort of Brothers, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Quad-sexed Ovoviviparous Marsupial Galra, Saving Blades' Lives One at a Time, Soft and Fluffy Boyfriends Learning How To Relationship, Tactile Hunk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-06-09 06:12:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15261147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calibratingentropy/pseuds/calibratingentropy
Summary: Can be read as a stand-alone!Life was weird. Hunk was in space, had found his alien mom, and then somehow managed to join a group of ninja-rebel-spies. Now he's fumbled his way into a relationship with an alien boyfriend. So, weird! But a good weird, and tail holding was his new favorite activity.





	Holding Tails

**Author's Note:**

> Another addition to the Quad-sexed Ovoviviparous Marsupial Galra AU cluster! This one is a direct sequel to "Human Tails" but can be read as a stand alone. This is meant to be a short bridge between Human Tails and the eventual sequel, which picks up speed in/around season 6.
> 
> Special thanks to my betas: Geist, Pterodotyl, PictoJournalist, RahneDrop and dani_the_owl. 
> 
> Some fast facts:  
> -Galra typically have three parents, and Antok is Hunk's (and Keith's) pouch-mother. He's a male-identifying Galra of a specific sex called a carrier. "Mother" is not a gendered word in Galran.  
> -Hunk passes for human, except for his tail and pouch. He mostly inherited senses and instincts.  
> -This is working its way towards an "everybody lives; nobody dies" AU, but Ulaz won't be rescued until the sequel.

Life was super weird. Technically Hunk already knew that, what with his tail, pouch, alien mom, and just everything space and Voltron, but sometimes it bore repeating. Like, Hunk never would have guessed his mom was Galra (or that Rava was Mama in Galran), or that Keith was his half (third? How did Galra genetics even work?) brother. After all that, the ninja-spy-rebel business was almost _normal_. Getting _inducted_ , fighty-puzzle-mindfuck-trials and all, swung back into super strange again. 

Finding out that Antok, his Rava, was the second in command of the Blades may have factored into Hunk’s decision to try. He knew Rava would be proud, and maybe it was a way to connect with Keith, and Galra anything, and…

Here he was, getting fixed up the old fashioned way (but not the really old fashioned way that involved tongues and licking and… just no), and plopped down on a table next to his first opponent whom Hunk _might_ have broken a couple of ribs. And gee, what Hunk wouldn’t give for Lance to break the ice, because Hunk was not good at confidence with strangers. 

The other Galra (half-Galra?) had a tail too, and more blueish skin with scales and fleshy spikes, and Hunk was probably staring and other Galra definitely noticed and— “Hi?” 

“Hello,” other Galra said, smirking. He (probably, anyway?) had a nice voice and very sharp teeth. “You fight very well for someone who’s only just taken up the blade. And I don’t think anyone has started looking for the alternate route after only just one opponent before.” 

Compliments? Kind of backhanded, but Hunk would take it. He smiled back, careful not to bare his teeth. That, he knew, was rude. “Thanks, I guess? Keith’s been trying to teach me. I’m Hunk, by the way.” 

“Regris,” oth—Regris replied with more of a smile now, “and I’ll bear my bruised ribs with pride, Hunk.” 

Hunk had to ask. “Is that a compliment? Because I’m still learning about Galra things and I’m—” 

Oh! That was— Regris’s tail looped around Hunk’s and squeezed. It felt nice, actually, and Hunk wished for a second that his trial suit didn't cover his tail. But Regris was also very much not looking at Hunk right now, and that was suspicious. “It was. And I could— I could teach you and show you around the base if you want, maybe?” 

Hunk was still trying to figure out why Regris wasn’t looking at him, but what a sweet offer. Hunk squeezed his tail around Regris’s. “Yeah, I think I’d like that.” 

Regris suddenly jerked, sitting up straighter than a ruler, but then he relaxed and turned to Hunk with a _smile_ and oh no, he was so cute!

Hunk was _doomed_.

* * *

Without Shiro (without Voltron), they worked more closely with the Blades for a while, which meant Hunk got to hang out with Regris a lot. Their skill sets really worked together, and then they got Pidge in on things and yes. Very yes. They made a super team, but Hunk couldn’t help but notice Regris was a little awkward with Pidge or— maybe Pidge’s guess had been right. Hunk was definitely nursing a bit of a crush, and if Regris was too—

Well there was Lotor and his mysterious plans, and liberations and meetings. And, shows now that Keith had Black, which was weird for everybody, but especially Keith. If only Keith would _talk_ about it; scent cues told Hunk about problems, but talking was what solved them. But tangent! Hunk was probably too good at that, when he wanted to avoid things. Like, his crush on Regris that was maybe reciprocated but definitely couldn’t ever happen because everything _war_ , and mission before the individual and all. 

But then Keith had come back from a Blade mission and frowned instead of smirked when Hunk asked about Regris, and nope. Hunk wasn’t gonna let Regris risk himself on missions like that. Keith had broken protocol, and Blades did things really differently from Voltron, but Regris was alive and—

“Can I go on the next mission with you guys? Two tech specialists is better than one, right?” Hunk had regretted that the moment it came out of his mouth but Keith had shot him a knowing look. 

So here he was, in a neat new suit and totally ditching on Voltron (oops, but yeah, Hunk would rather be doing actual work), and trying to be super serious mission guy and failing more than a little. Regris had reached out with his tail and squeezed Hunk’s before they boarded and his heart had leaped. It was only a moment, but Hunk kind of wanted it to last. He was totally going to ignore Kolivan’s glares and sneak in some more time with Regris on the way back to base—

Trap, of course it was a trap! And Kolivan had just hauled off with Keith but Regris wasn’t—

Nope. He was gonna copy Kolivan and drag Regris the hell out of there! Regris snarled, “I’ve got it—“ but Hunk didn’t listen. 

“No, you don’t. We’ve gotta—“ Regris was heavy, but Hunk could handle him, even squirming and smacking his tail against Hunk’s mask. What he couldn’t handle was the time and Keith coming back towards them—

It was sudden. Ship then not. The suits were spaceworthy, but Keith’s was lacerated, and Regris was limp, so limp, and Hunk just reached out. He caught Keith’s arm and held on tight, and he did some calculations in his head. They could make it. He gestured what he wanted at Keith and thank god it was Keith. Lance _sucked_ at charades. 

Kolivan was _furious_ with them, but Regris was alive and coughing and that mattered more. Besides, Hunk was furious, too. 

“I can’t believe you! No unnecessary risks, Regris! The mission went sour; we were supposed to retreat, not try to make it work. This isn’t _Voltron!_ We don’t have to be heroes. It’s okay to retreat. It’s okay. It’s— Blades don’t need to be heroes; Blades need to be _smart_ , so stop being a dumbass! Don’t waste your life; if you’ve gotta die make it _count_.” 

Kolivan looked surprised. Keith didn’t look like much but smelled like he’d had a revelation. Hunk’s anger had given way to fear and worry and Regris disengaged his mask. He looked so _young_ in that moment, like a kid who’d had to grow up too soon. Hunk was pretty sure he looked the same way like right now. 

“You’re right; I was wrong. I— Thank you, Hunk.” He ducked his head.

Hunk was reaching out to lift his chin before he remembered better, and wow, hot blushy face check. “Hey, I care about you. Blades are family, right? You’re valuable to m—us.” Hunk cleared his throat, failing to cover the slip. “So I’d better not have to save your tail again, got it?” 

Regris looked at him for a long moment while Hunk squirmed. Then he took a breath and his scent went determined. “I don’t want you as a brother, Hunk.” 

He bumped his cheek against Hunk’s throat and— _oh!_ That felt really good, and he knew what it meant to Galra. Intimacy, in a non-family way. Hunk choked but felt a little floaty. “Good, I don’t need another brother who’s a pain in the tail.” 

Heart in his throat, Hunk returned the gesture, and Regris made a chirping sound and shivered. But he grinned, and there was pressure around Hunk’s tail. Hunk looked down to see their tails curled around each other, and it made a pretty picture. Hunk laughed and vaguely heard Kolivan sigh heavily in the background. Didn’t matter. He had a… boyfriend? What did Galra call it? 

Still so very doomed, but in a good way.

* * *

Juggling a boyfriend in space wasn’t easy, especially with so much going on. Finding time even to send messages was tricky, and everything happened so much. The blitz, Lotor, Kral Zera, Emperor Lotor— Just so _much_.

Hunk also totally didn’t miss what it really meant when Kolivan assigned Regris as a semi-permanent liaison to Voltron. He was also pretty sure that Rava had had a hand in the decision. If there was one thing Hunk missed about being a Paladin full time, it was not getting to see his Rava very often.

So Hunk wasn't about to waste time taking things super slow. A little slow was fine, and Hunk wasn’t the least bit sorry about people walking in on them cuddling (and other things). Okay, he was a little sorry. But only a little. 

But right now they had no life support and were running out of air and heat. Hunk was working with Regris and Pidge, trying to fix it, but panic sat heavy and queasy in his gut. This was really bad—

Regris’s tail curled around his, even while Regris worked on the power conduit next to him. “Hey, we’re not doomed.” 

Hunk blinked, laughed, and squeezed his tail tighter around Regris’s. He could believe it out of Regris’s mouth, and quirked a smile in response. “Not doomed at all.”


End file.
